Weekly Roundup – January 28th, 2026
Roundup Links
Is Everything Becoming a Podcast?
"I was listening to/watching Scott Galloway talk about how “podcasts are the new TV” in his latest…ahem, podcast today. His point is that the line is blurring between the idea of podcasts, videos, and TV to such an extent that they’ll eventually just coalesce into the same thing. He goes in depth on the economics, and I won’t try to summarize his points, but I’ve thought a lot about this concept in the past.
At one point, podcasts were mostly audio (y’know, ’cause iPod), but at some point, the term became generically applied to any semi-regularly published video series. It actually makes a lot of sense that YouTube has integrated both audio and video podcasts into YouTube Music."
Our Take: Podcasting used to be a discreet, genre-specific, audio-focused media type. Technology has progressed in such a way that 4k video is available on most people’s smart phones that they can access during extended visits to the restroom. To keep up with technology, podcast creators started filming themselves talking into microphones and still called it ‘podcasting.’ Production values increased further, and then you have basically a media product that in some cases is virtually indistinguishable from daytime cable television (Call Her Daddy, Good Hang, New Heights, etc.). People from the original podcast era (mid-2000s) largely stopped contesting the label, even as the medium drifted far from what “podcasting” originally meant. The new definition of podcast seems to be the following: Any video/audio of people talking anywhere at anytime.
Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025
"Roughly 1 in 5 U.S. teens say they are on TikTok and YouTube almost constantly. At the same time, 64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about 3 in 10 who do so daily.
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About six-in-ten or more say they use TikTok and Instagram.
A somewhat smaller share say they go on Snapchat (55%)."
Our Take: It took over 10 years for social media platforms to really become go-to media habits among the 13-17 year old demo. In contrast, chat bots, exploding onto the scene in the latter part of 2023, have achieved that level of saturation among this desired younger demo in under 3 years of widespread availability. 3 out 10 teens using chat bots daily is a gargantuan number relative to how long chat bots have been public-accessible (not very long). Overall usage rates of about 64% puts chat bots roughly in the same territory as Instagram and TikTok for 13 to 17 year olds. This younger generation is primed for AI in a way that even surpasses how Gen Z adopted smartphones and social media. Gen Z were raised with the tacit assumption that social media was an inherent part of their lives. Gen Alpha are being raised with the tacit assumption that AI is an inherent part of their lives. And while social media and AI are somewhat different in nature, AI is starting to play a significant role in identity formation, entertainment, and interaction (features typically ascribed to social media).
Music Publisher Wixen Sues META, Says It Plans To Replace Human Songwriters With AI Music
"Wixen Music Publishing is suing Meta over accusations that the social media giant is trying to “drastically cut payments to human songwriters” and replace them with free A.I. music – and that it’s now retaliating by smearing the publisher to the music business.
In a lawsuit filed Friday, Wixen says licensing negotiations for Instagram and Facebook stalled last year because Meta was offering only a small fraction of what it used to pay songwriters whose music is featured in the platforms’ licensed song libraries.
The publisher, which reresents Weezer, The Black Keys, Santana and many other major artists, says that’s because Meta is planning to replace human-generated music on its huge platforms with “royalty-free AI-generated music.”"
Our Take: AI is fundamentally a cost cutting tool for corporations. It garners implied support from the public at large by making its product available to them for free or for a small fee - to make the public feel like it is part of the 'AI Revolution.' Its ultimate goal is to replace human work with cheap AI work. And while it may be helpful in some contexts, its primary function will be to replace human labor. This is a tale as old as time.
The Senate Will Hold Hearings on Netflix Buying Warner Bros. Discovery
"The backdrop to this hearing is a rapidly evolving media landscape marked by intense competition among streaming services. Netflix, once a pioneer in on-demand video, has faced challenges from rivals like Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. Acquiring Warner Bros. would provide Netflix with a steady pipeline of premium content, potentially bolstering its position against these competitors. Warner Bros., part of Warner Bros. Discovery, has struggled with debt and shifting consumer habits post its 2022 merger with Discovery. The proposed sale to Netflix is seen as a strategic move to streamline operations and capitalize on streaming’s dominance over traditional cable and theatrical releases."
Our Take: Netlix’s whole strategy has always been to have as much content on their platform as possible and the acquisition of WB fulfills their primary business aims. The irony is that when Netflix was the only legitimate streamer around, say in the early to mid 2010’s, they sort of represented this omni-content model they are aggressively pursuing now. So nothing has really changed except other streamers came to prominence and wanted to stream their IP exclusively on their platforms – which of course Netflix now wants to buy back. The real reversal is from the studios who originally underestimated streaming and saw Netflix going gangbusters back in the halcyon days of their $11.99 premium plan featuring no ads and Ultra-HD/4k. Netflix were printing money relative to the landscape at the time and they had no real competition for consumer attention. Netflix wants that again, and they probably have enough cash to get it.
Recent Blogs from Crowd React Media
The Attribution Advantage: How Radio & TV Sales Teams Can Win the Credit Game
Ever run a killer radio or TV campaign only to watch digital ads get all the credit? Katie Miller of Crowd React Media breaks down why broadcast often drives the awareness and intent that digital captures at the last click, and how sales pros can reframe attribution, set smarter expectations, and use brand lift research to prove real impact. If you sell radio or TV, this is your playbook for finally getting the credit you deserve.
Sean Bos
Sean Bos is a founder of Crowd React Media and VP of Branding & Research at Harker Bos Group.